I think I've just been accused of racism at work

[Imlookingatapicture]

Panicking somewhat..

For context I'm the only Welsh person in our London office. Lots of banter around the football World Cup.

Chat started on teams (chat not video) re the 6 nations game tomorrow. Collegue (huge football fan, most vocal in the world cup) said 'I don't care about rugby. I'm half Welsh anyway'

I replied

'Oh I'm half English too. We all have our crosses to bear ;)'

Manager has just emailed me to say collegue above has complained, and it's not acceptable, especially given recent discussions around inclusion and diversity.

It was honestly just a joke, in the same vein as the world cup 'banter'

I know I shouldn't have put it on teams. Maybe context didn't come across.

How much shit am I in?

I would explain my point and leave it at that.
There is NO WAY I would apologise.

What are they going to do? Sack you? In your shoes, I'd love them to - I'd sue them for a handsome payout. It would be great to get paid to leave that cesspit behind.

@QueenCamilla , what would you sue then for, sacking you for racially harassing a colleague? As I said previously, the law is an ass, but the law is the law.

She hasn't racially harassed a colleague, nor broken any other law. I'd really would like them to try that one on!

You'll see that they won't. That would be unfair dismissal claim straight in the bull's eye!

OP is Welsh with an English parent though.

I am myself a non-protected white migrant.

There's a lot of stereotyping coming my way but that ain't nor harassment, nor racism.

Apart from once. When I was told in the street by a stranger to Fuck off back to.... London!
That was a bit rude. Apart from the fact I experienced something similar to Gender Euphoria that Trans people get when they "pass". 😂

@QueenCamilla , I've given links to the relevant sections of the Equality Act preciously, but basically,
-nationality is a protected characteristic as a subsection of race.
-The employer has an obligation to not harass their employees.
-because the OP's comments were on a work chat group, her comments reflects the employer, so the employer's policy will mean the OP mustn't harass other employees
-Harassment is seen from the eyes of the victim, not the intention of the harasser. The intention of the OP (or common sense) is completely irrelevant

And my final comment (not in the legislation), the law is an ass.

World is a sad place..

dylai eich ymddiheuriad ysgrifenedig gael ei ysgrifennu hanner yn Gymraeg a hanner yn Saesneg. Yna ni fydd unrhyw flodyn bach gwerthfawr yn teimlo wedi'i eithrio.

I am so glad I am old and long retired from a work. I loved the workplaces I inhabited where colleagues were friends you could joke round with to lighten the day and have a pint with after work.

I am so sick and tired of this absurd situation where people take offence at the slightest thing, where everything is an "ist" and everyone has to walk on eggshells.

Flor God's sake, when will the adults come back in the room?

Apologise? What on earth for?

RTFF FFS 🤦‍♀️

@TreadLight

You are plain wrong. There has been nor racism, nor harassment.
Nationality is a protected characteristic as a sub-section of race. Correct. It's there to equal "I hate black people" with "I hate Nigerians (or any other nationality). If that Nationality doesn't relate to a protected race, the threshold for any claim of offence would rise dramatically.
In this case, there would be no tribunal that would agree that the racism threshold has been met!

Any person is free to feel "harassed" (I don't even think anyone has made that claim against OP? ) but there still will be a minimum factual and legal requirement to meet. You can't just feel or claim harassment and Rob someone of their job or put them in the jail. It doesn't work that way! Thankfully.

Don't just take my word for it. Plenty of cases described online where the victims of unfair and exaggerated claims have won compensations.

I'd take them to court if need be. And the colleague for the harassment and distress 😉

@QueenCamilla , I've quoted the legislation previously, do you have a list of these protected races?

I don't think it exists. In fact the first people found guilty of racially aggravated murder in Scotland were a gang who targeted and killed a white man because of his race.

This rung a chord with me because I though white people couldn't be victims of racism.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Kriss_Donald#:~:text=Arrests%20and%20first%20trials,-Initially%2C%20two%20men&text=One%20man%2C%20Daanish%20Zahid%2C%20was,racially%20motivated%20murder%20in%20Scotland.

Xenophobia at worst but certainly not racism

How did he know you meant your English half was the part you referred to in ‘crosses to bear’ bit?
You could have been saying about your own welsh half for all he knows.

I would just say that in a reply email to your boss and explain the guy got it wrong and you were just commenting on your own heritage.

I think it's very much still possible to enjoy your life and work and human company. Mostly. Unless you work in Academia, or Police, or in Brighton generally 😁

I think social media (Mumsnet included) paint a false picture of what actually life is like. It's like if you're a teen girl on TikTok you might get an impression that you're the only one still weeing sitting down.
I sometimes question how the race discrimination issue has become such a frequent topic on the white, female, wealthy, middle-class populated forum.
It seems like the fight and cause of the vulnerable minorities has been stolen from them.

I live in a working class, cultural-boiling pot of a city. Teachers struggle with parents and children having no command of English. My son has a different accent each month.
I haven't seen (not saying it doesn't happen) any racial or nationalist tensions. People are universally worried about crime, economy and hotels to accommodate sentenced drug addicts (could only wish for migrants!).

I have to come to Mumsnet to hear about all this racism that surrounds the middle-classes daily. Poor white rich women... Having to witness all this racism all the time. Must be tough.

Splendid suggestion! 😃

FFS. I'm half Welsh, but don't sound it as I grew up in England. If I reported every comment or so called joke I'd heard said in front of me about Wales and the Welsh by people who didn't know my ancestry ( never mind those who do! ) I'd have a permanent seat in HR.

They are being totally ridiculous. The person complaining is an idiot and HR are bigger ones for giving him the time of day. Perhaps you could issue a complaint about his comments about rugby?

Get them to put the complaint in writing, explaining why it's offensive, just so you have a record of how stupid it is. If you feel forced into an apology, do one of those non-apologies politicians are good at - "I'm sorry if you felt" etc.

No!! He laughed because it's banter!!!!!!!!!!!

YouOKHun

That's an excellent idea! However, no doubt the colleague will complain about that too.

she was saying being half English was a cross to bear

As it is.

However, do I mean it is a) because my Welsh half is superior or b) because of course being half is not as good as being fully English? 😉

Has Daily Fail picked this one up yet? I'm sure OP isn't a journalist though 😉

Bloody hell.

"lols"

Black or white, green, blue or tangerine orange we're all one human race!